Dead-end connector



Feb. 16, 1954 M. D. BERGAN DEAD-END CONNECTOR Filed July 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l V I. 7///,, mall as:

INVENTOR. MARTIN D. BERGAN ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1954 M BERGAN 2,669,600

DEAD-END CONNECTOR Filed July 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR. MARTIN D. BERGAN ATTORNEY without regard to any factor of current conduc tivity in the suspensory.

Broadly, this objective is obtained by using a splicing tube of a high degree of conductivity, preferably as suggested of pure aluminum, which can be bent into an elbow or similar angled shape with ends exposed for distortion into a crimping engagement with a conductor or conductors in its bore and which tube is reinforced at its bend by a more or less massive and rugged form of suspension which does not even have to possess any degree of conductivity and might even be made of a non-conductive material, such as a plastic or ceramic.

In the preferred form of the invention the disclosure is particularly designed to provide an all-steel supporting connection between the steel core of a conventional form of cable and the support. The steel core and the aluminum conductor wires each must be held to its full tensile value in order to hold the complete cable to its full rated tensile strength.

Accordingly, another object of the invention particularly applicable to those forms of dead end connections when used to anchor steel or similar cores in place is to provide an anchoring means which will provide for an easily practiced technique in securing the steel core positively to the suspensory supplementary to any support provided between the conductors and the suspensory and to secure the parts together in such way as will tend to resist accidental separation of the steel-cored cable from the connector and will insure a positive and secure anchoring of the connector to its support.

With reference to the method aspect of the disclosure another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive technique for fabricating the connectors and to facilitate the securing of the connector to the cable, wires or other conductors and to their steel or equivalent cores in such way that there is no possibility of slippage between the connector and conductors when subseouently in use and in which the assembly of connector and conductors when finally ready to be secured to its support is substantially free of fabricating strains.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from a consideration of the several features of the disclosure and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one method of practicing the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel modifications of the preferred method and other features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a dead end connector of a Greek gamma or pistol-like form in side elevation constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention before the main cable and tap wire have been secured thereto and which form of the invention is intended to be used in those situations where the tap wire is separate from the main cable, and particularly where a steel core of the main cable is to be secured to the connector independently of the securing thereto of the conductor elements of the main cable;

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking down upon the device shown in Fig. 1; v 1 Fig. 3 is an end view of the showing in Figs.

1 and 2, looking at the same-from. the right-hand;

side;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly in vertical section, with the main cable and tap wire in place, with the splicing tube crimped thereon and with parts broken away to show normally hidden parts of the steel core anchoring mechamsm;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view looking down on the right end of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 to 9 disclose another form of the invention in which a single cable or conductor is threaded through the splicing tube or sleeve, Fig. 6 being a plan view of this modified form arranged to receive a conductor or conductors therein; Fig. "I being a view partially in plan looking down upon the dead end connector with a conductor threaded through the straight splicing sleeve before the sleeve is bent into its elbow form and with the right end broken away a to show this end in horizontal section; Fig. 8

being a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the showing of Fig. '7 after the tube has been bent and before the bent tube is crimped on to the conductor; and Fig. 9 being a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8 with opposite ends of the sleeve crimped on to the conductor.

In all forms of the invention the dead end connector is of a Greek gamma or pistol-like form and comprises two main parts more or less permanently connected. The connector includes a long, tubular, thin-Walled splicing sleeve or tube [0 formed of pure aluminum, bent into elbow form and a casting H forming a rugged suspensory. The suspensory includes a blocklike main sleeve reinforcing part l2 embracing the elbow at its bend and a bifurcated extension [3 projecting from one end of the main part l2. It is a feature of the disclosure that the suspensory, while capable of functioning as such, is not necessarily made of conductive material.

Referring specifically to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5, the sleeve or tube I0 was originally a straight length of high electrical conductivity pure aluminum tubing, in the instant case 0.921 inch 0. D.; 0.593 inch I. D. by 12% inches long and bent by conventional tube bending machinery into an elbow form to provide a crotch l4 and two ends l5 and I5, each end capable of being distorted into a crimping engagement with conductors in its bore II. The casting H is of one piece and in the illustrated instance is formed of an aluminum high strength alloy of the type known on the market as Alcoa. The device shown in Fig. 1 may be formed by rough knurling or otherwise roughing the exterior of the crotch-forming portion Id of the tube which is to be engaged by the casting; by locating the crotch 14 in a mold cavity designed to give the required external configuration to the casting II; and by casting metal about the crotch. As the casting cools it shrinks into a binding fit on the elbow tube.

The casting H is provided in its main part l2 with a main bore l8 extending horizontally and straight therethrough from end to end to receive the main cable A and dimensioned to permit the cable A to be drawn therethrough. The crotch portion of tube H is drilled through on its outer convex side to provide an opening l9 through the wall of the tube and forming a continuation of the main bore l8 leading axially from the right end of bore [8 into the bore ll of the tube end l5. The casting is also provided with a slightly curved supplemental bore 20 depending in an are at an obtuse angle from the main bore l8 and designed to receive the intruded end of a tap wire" SMBEQQO B. The inner end of bore 20 opens-ate sharp angle into bore l8 adjacent it mid-Jength to form a Y-shaped opening centrally within the casting.

The bifurcated extension l3 of casting H is formed of a pair of parallel, transversely spacedapart, apertured cars 21 and 22 provided at their outer enlarged ends with aligned bolt; holes 23 for suspending the device from, a bolt 24 forming part of a suitable support or a part of the usual tensioning means.

The device as thus far described can be used as an all-aluminum dead-end connector and is available to have the conductors inserted into the end of the elbow and with theexposed end of the elbow crimped on to the conductors as hereinafter described.

In the instant cases where a cable with a steel core is used the steel core be anchored directly to the pole or other support engaged by the bolt 24, by a more rugged form of dead end connector parts than is pro vided by the all-aluminum dead end connector hereinabove described.

' Tov accommodate such form of anchorage the outer portion of the main part [2 between the root ends of the ears 2 l-22 is machined to form a flat stop wall 25 to form an abutment for the anchorage.

In the illustrated instance the main cable includes a steel core wrapped with aluminum strands forming conductors D. The anchorage for the steel core comprises two separable steel parts, preferably drop forgings, a U-shaped clevis 26 designed to fit eventually between the ears 2l-22, and a long, bolt-like sleeve 2? with its outer end passed loosely through an opening therefor in the crotch of the clevis 26. The sleeve is provided with a head 28 at its outer end dimensioned for bearing on the crotch. The bifurcated ends of the clevis are provided with bolt holes'ZI-l designed to align with the bolt holes 23 in the ears 2 |-22.

While the two-part form of anchorage for the steel core is preferable, it is within the scope of 2! and clevis the disclosure to make the sleeve 26 as a casting of one piece.

In forming the completed structure shown in Fig. 4, the connector of Figs. 1-3 is slid on to an .end of the main cable A with the muzzle or left about a foot of the cable end in advance and until sticks out beyond the breech or right end of the connector. The aluminum strands at the pro jecting end are cut back a distance depending on thelength of the sleeve 21 to expose a length E of. the steel core C. The unit formed of the steel sleeve 21 with the clevis 26 attached thereto is pushed over the projecting length E of the steel core as far as it will go. The sleeve is then orirnped on to the steel core end E starting from the volevis end to form a series of areas 29 of compression. The cable A is then drawn backto the left until the head 28 engages and bears firinly on the crotch of the clevis 25 and the flat crotch of the clevis bears firmly against the stop wall 25. At this time the eyes 23 and 23' are brought into registry to receive the bolt 24. The head 23 and with it the sleeve 27 is free to rotate about the axis of the sleeve as the steel core C and with it the cable A rotatively adjusts itself tothe clevis before the parts are permanently locked in place. The tube end isthen dis- -.to1'te d at a plurality of spaced-apart areas, start. ing from-'theinner end. to form a series ,of orimnstil. to permanentl connect. the left; end

case it is suggested that in those oi the splicing tube [0 t the main. cableAin the portion thereof. just beyond the reta ning sleeve 21 and just beyond the adjacent end of the castingl I. the seat 25 and this acts to defeat possibility of the cable A moving further to the left. The steel clevis 26 then forms with the steel sleeve 27 an all-steel extension from the steel core 0 to the bolt 24. In this way, outward movement of the core and with it the balance of the cable A is restrained from separating from the connector. Securing the fitting to the cable by the crimps 30 likewise secures the steel sleeve 21 from shifting relative to the fitting. Also. thev outer strandformed surface of the cable A is secured directly to the connector by reason or the crimps 30 and its core C is also secured from outward separating movement from the connector by reason of the steel connector formed by the sleeve 29. and clevis 26.

The tap wire or jumper cable B illustrated is also of the steel core type and is formed of a steel core F wrapped with aluminum. strands G. The tap wire 3 is inserted into the crimpable tube end I 6 with a sliding but substantially snug fit therein and advanced as far as possible or at least until its inner end is well within the outline of the part l2 of the casting H. The tube end I6 is then distorted into a crimping engagement with the tap wire B by means of a plurality of compressions 3|. In this way the tap line is permanently secured to the connector end IS in the same Way that the main cable is secured to its opposite end I5. The steel core of the tan is not held separately because the tap connection is not usually subjected to high strain.

The assembly as thus formed in situ has bolt 24 passed through the eyes 23 of the ears and through eyes 23 in the sides of the clevis and is ready to be secured to the tower or other support following conventional practice in this respect. The steel core C is thus anchored direotlyto the bolt 24 and therethrough to the support through the steel sleeve 21 and steel clevis 28, and in this way there is provided a more ruggod form of suspension for the cable considered as a whole than could be provided by the rela tively weaker but better conductive all-aluminum dead end formed by the casting l alone.

Referring to the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6-9, it is intended that the conductor H be threaded through a conductive tube forming part of the connector while the tube is straight and then the tube with the conductor therein be bent into an elbow form before the tube is crimped on to the conductor. The connector 32 01' this modified form, like the preferred form of Figs. 15, includes an initially straight tube 33 corresponding to tube 10 and likewise mounted in a rugged casting to. In this case, and assuming the conductor is not already in. place in the elbow, as in the preferred form, the tube 33 is located with its mid-length portion in a mold cavity of suitable design and the casting 34 formed about the tube, leaving the ends of the. tube outside the part of the mold cavity which gives form to the casting.

The casting includes a block-forming left end 35 projecting from the right end of which are a pair of ru ged cars 33, 31', forming a bifurcated right end to the casting provided with aligned bolt-receiving apertures is. The splicing tube was shown in Figs, and 7 extends straight throughthe block with its opposite ends 39 andflproieoting material distances beyond the The clevis 26 is held firmly to the cars 36 and 37 and through the initially straight located initially between projects beyond the same as shown in Figs. 6 and '7 to provide a length sufiicient to be engaged by a pipe-bending tool.

As shown in Fig. '7 the cable H is threaded bore ll of the tube 33. The bore being straight permits a more or less easy passing of the cable and which threading of a cable, sometimes amounting to a thousand feet or more, would be just about impossible if the tube were not straight. When the cable has been advanced to the point where it is to be bent, the block 35 is held firmly in a vise and the tube end All is bent to form the desired angle with the unbent end 29 held within the block 35 by reason of the fact that the block adheres to the tube as an incident of the casting operation. During this bending pipe operation the portion of the cable within the tube 33 is free to slide axially and twist rotatively and otherwise to adjust itself automatically to the configuration imposed thereon by the bending of the tube 33. The bending of the tube end 40 exposes the bolt holes 38 to receive a suspension bolt such as the bolt 25 as is usual in dead end mountings. Finally, the projecting portion of the tube end 39 is crimped on to the portion of the cable therein by means of compressions 42, and similarly the projecting portion of the bent tube end 4% is crimped on to the portion of the cable therein by means of compressions it. In this way a single length of the main line or cable H can be angled to change its direction and the cable supported at the change of direction by a rugged type of suspension formed by the casting 34.

This form of dead end connector is partially efiective when the cable is to be looped or passed about a pole or other obstruction without break in its continuity. In such case two of the connectors are utilized, one at each bend of the cable. For instance, Fig. 9 can be considered as the left connector and Fig. 9 upside down could be the right connector.

As was the case with the Figs. 1-5 form of the invention the tube 33 is made of a highly conductive form of metal such as pure aluminum and the casting 3d of a form of metal characterized as being more rugged than pure aluminum and preferably one of the aluminum alloys.

block. The end 40' is As the cable H is crimped to the tube 33 close to the casting and the tube, in turn, is secured to the casting, it follows that the cable is firmly and permanently gripped to the suspension.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a one piece tube of highly conductive ductible' metal of elbow form having a crotch portion and two substantially straight end portions, a casting coacting with the tube to form a dead end fitting provided with means for supporting the tube and through which casting the crotch portion of the elbow tube extends, with both end portions of the tube projecting beyond the casting, said casting provided with a passageway extending through the same forming a continuation of the bore of one end portion of the tube and opening into the same, a main cable provided with conductors terminating within the first-named end portion of the tube bore and said end portion of the tube exteriorly of the casting crimped on to the portion of the cable therein and said cable including a steel core with one end projecting into said passageway, means including a steel sleeve crimped on to the steel core and a clevis pivoted to the sleeve for anchoring the steel core end to the casting and a tap cable having one end inserted into the other end portion of the tube and said last-named end portion of the tube in the part thereof exteriorly of the casting crimped on to the tap cable inserted therein whereby both cables are connected electrically and mechanically to each other directly through the conductive metal forming the elbow tube.

2. A dead end connector formed primarily of two parts, one part constituting a tubular elbow of highly conductive metal forming a one-piece uninterrupted electric path through the connector and the other part constituting a block of metal secured to the elbow at its crotch and with the end portions of the elbow projecting beyond the outlines of the block and adapted to be crimped directly on to a conductor in the bore of the elbow, one end of the block providing a stop shoulder, said block provided at the end having the stop shoulder with a bore opening axially into the bore of one end of the elbow, a conductor having a core with an end thereof inserted into said bore at one end of the elbow and of less diameter than the bore to permit the cable to be drawn therethrough, means for securing said end of the cable core to the connector, said securing means provided with a head for engaging the stop shoulder and said block provided with means for suspending the connector in place.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casting provided at one end with a pair of transversely spaced-apart apertured ears and provided with a bore extending therethrough and terminating at one end between the root ends of the ears and said casting providing a stop shoulder between the ears and encircling the adjacent end of the bore, a splicing tube of elbow form having one end fitted in the bore, a cable inserted in said end of the tube and with the tube crimped on to the cable, said cable including a steel core projecting into the bore, means for anchoring the steel core to the casting, said anchoring means including a steel clevis fitted between the ears and a steel sleeve in the bore crimped on to the steel core and having a head in bearing engagement with the steel clevis.

4. An article of manufacture for forming a dead end connector for use in connecting. a main and a tap cable electrically and mechanically, comprising a fitting having a main passageway extending straight therethrough and having a secondary passageway disposed at an, acute angle to the main passageway and at its inner end opening into the same, said fitting provided with means for suspending the same in space, and a one-piece tube of ductile and highly conductive metal of elbow form with a portion thereof fitted in the main passageway, with another portion thereof angularly related to the first-named portion and fitted in the secondary passageway and opposite ends of the tube each projecting beyond its associated passageway in the fitting, and said projecting ends of the tube being ductile and adapted to be crimped on to the ends of the main and tap cables when inserted therein.

5. A dead end connector comprising a onepiece metal tube having substantially straight end portions and an elbow integrally connecting the end portions, said tube formed of a metal having a high conductive value and suificiently ductile to permits its end portions to be crimped onto a conductor or conductors within its bore.

9 the of the tube at its elbow being roughand on its outer side, means forming a suspensory engaging the tube at its elbow and provided with an element of a fastening device for suspending the connector to a support, said suspensory means being a casting engaging the roughened surface at the tube elbow and having structural strength, rigidity and resistance to such pulling strains as are usually imposed on dead end connectors.

6. A dead end fitting provided with integral tubular conductive means forming a one-piece and thus uninterrupted electric path therethrough and opposite ends of which means forms a. pair of open-end, conductor-receiving tubes .extending fixedly at an acute angle relative to each other, said tube ends being each formed of ductile metal with uniform diameter of bore, with uniform cross section of materiai and each tube end workable and fashioned to be-crimped conventionally on to an electric conductor inserted into its bore, and said fitting also including a onepiece rugged strain-resisting casting through which the said conductor means extend and provided with a projection extending in line with one of the tube ends and said projection provided adj aoent its free end with parallel ears having aligned bolt holes therein to receive an element of an attaching device for securing the fitting suspended to a support.

7. A one-piece article of manufacture for forming a dead end connector, said articleincluding a rugged casting formed of aluminum alloy and adapted to resist the pulling strains to which dead end connectors are usually subjected and :a thin-walled .tube of aluminum of fixed elbow form with substantially straight rigid ends and a crotch connecting the ends, the crotch being contained in the casting and .supported thereby and the casting being shrinkably bonded to the tube at its crotch, said tube and casting being relatively immovable and the straight rigid tubular ends projecting from the casting and fashioned to be :crimped on to conductors in the bore of the tube.

8. A connector including ;a tube of highly iconductive workable metal of elbow form, a onepiece casting forming a suspensory including a rugged portion through which a portion of said tube extends with the ends of the tube projecting beyond said suspensory means, said suspensory means being bonded to the elbow tube, said ends of the tube having a continuous closed perimeter and being ductile and thus each fashioned to be crimped on to conductors introduced into the bore of the tube and said suspensory means also provided with an extension projecting integrally from said rugged portion and having a bolt hole therein adapted to receive means for suspending the connector from a support.

9. A dead end fitting including a one-piece rugged body portion with a pair of cars projecting integrally and in parallel relation from one end and said body portion adapted to constitute part of a means for suspending the fitting to a support, said body portion having a bore extending lengthwise therethrough and terminating at one end between the root ends of the ears, a thinwalled easily bent tube of conductive ductile metal having a mid-portion fitted in the bore and end portions projecting beyond the ends of the body portion, said end portions adapted to be crimped on to a conductor within the bore of the tube and the straight end portion of the tube which lies between the ears is adapted to be bent to extend at an angle to the mid-portion thereof within the bore of the body portion.

10. A device for supporting one end of a cable having a steel core, said device including two separable uni-ts, one unit comprising two distinct elements, one being a tube of elbow form and of ductile and highly conductive metal and the other element being a casting embracing the tube and permanently secured to the same, at least one end of the tube projecting beyond the casting and said projecting end being ductile and adapted to be crimped on to the cable received in its bore, and the other unit including a steel sleeve for receiving an end .of the steel core and a steel clevis pivoted to the sleeve and a bolt passed through the casting and clevis for receiving strains imposed thereon by both units.

11. An article of manufacture constituting a the bolt holes and thus free from any bolt passed through the bolt holes.

12. An article of manufacture constituting a dead-end connector formed of two major parts, one major part forming a one-piece aluminum unit comprising a tube and a suspensory, said tube formed of aluminum or" high conductivity of elbow form having a crotch and at least one substantially straight tubular-end, the suspensory being formed -.of aluminum of greater tensile strength :and of less conductivity than the tube, one end of the suspensory being cast about the ears and having bolt holes the aligned bolt holes in the ears in position to receive a bolt passed through the bolt holes.

13. A dead end connector including a tube of strength than the tube, said suspensory including a rugged portion in extensive interengagement with the outer side of the tube at its crotch portion, completely encircling the same and acting to reinforce the entire perimeter of the crotch portion, and another portion of the suspensory projecting from the tube and in a portion thereof spaced from the tube provided with means for suspending the connector from a suppor [1, both ends of the tube projecting freely for a material distance beyond the suspensory, said projecting ends being ductile of solid annular form in all cross sections thereof and exposed for deformation into a crimping engagement with a conductor therein.

14. The connector defined in claim 13 in which the suspensory is a casting formed of a material having greater strain resisting capacity than the tube and in which the part of the suspensory encircling the crotch portion of the tube is bulky and rugged, is approximately of triangular shape in medial longitudinal vertical cross section, the tube and suspensory being bonded together through complementary annular contacting surfaces.

15. A dead end connector including a tube of elbow shape and formed of a highly conductive metal, and a casting forming a suspensory having greater structural strength than the tube, said suspensory including a rugged portion completely encircling the tube adjacent its midlength and in spaced relation to its end portions, said rugged portion engaging the tube to form a joint therebetween of cylindrical form and in interbonding relation, said suspensory includin means spaced from the tube for attaching the connector to a support and both of the end portions of the tube being exposed and fashioned to be crimped onto a conductor therein at least one of the end portions of the tube and the part thereof immediately adjacent thereto within the casting being of a solid annular form in all cross sections thereof.

16. In a dead end conductor assembly, the combination of a metallic fitting provided with an integral tubular unit forming an electric path of elbow form and a second unit including a block of metal forming an external reinforcement for a mid-length portion of said first-named unit, snugly encircling the same and provided with means offset from said path for suspending the assembly from a support, said units being formed of different metals, said tubular unit having tubular ends projecting beyond opposite ends of the second unit, a conductor having a length thereof located in at least one end of said tubular unit, said end being crimped onto said length of the connector for permanently securing the conductor and the portion of the first-named tubular unit in which it is contained both electrically and mechanically, the part of the end of the tubular unit which contains said conductor length entirely surrounding the same without break.

17. An article of manufacture'constituting a dead end connector for securing a steel core cable to a support, said connector comprising two major parts, one of the major parts including a casting provided at one end with a bore fashioned to receive one end of the cable, and at its other end the casting forming a pair of parallel ears having aligned bolt holes, the other major part being formed of two initially separate parts, one of the parts being a steel casting forming a clevis provided at one end with a pair of apertured ears fitted between the firstmentioned parallel ears and having bolt holes for registering with the first-named aligned bolt holes in position to receive a bolt passed through all of the bolt holes and said clevis provided in its crotch portion with an opening and the other part being a preformed steel sleeve whose here is fashioned to receive therein an end of the steel core of the cable, said sleeve being suf-, ficiently malleable to permit the sleeve to be deformed into a crimping engagement with the steel core therein with one end of the tube intruded into the opening in the clevis, and coupling means therebetween capable of providing relative movement between the clevis and sleeve while resisting relative axial movement between the sleeve and clevis in one direction.

MARTIN D. BERGAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany June 12, 1925 

